The church-history of Brittany from the beginning of Christianity to the Norman conquest under Roman governours, Brittish kings, the English-Saxon heptarchy, the English-Saxon (and Danish) monarchy ... : from all which is evidently demonstrated that the present Roman Catholick religion hath from the beginning, without interruption or change been professed in this our island, &c. / by R.F., S. Cressy of the Holy Order of S. Benedict.

IX. CHAP.* 1.1

1.2. &c. The Martyrdom of S. Indractus an Irish Prince: his murder miraculous∣ly discovered.

1. ABout this time hapned the Martyrdom of a son of a certain Irish King, who returning from a Pilgrimage to Rome by Brit∣tany, in his way from Glastonbury towards Ireland, was together with seaven of his companions barbarously murdred by rob∣bers. His name was Indractus, and his Memory is celebrated in our Martyrologe on the fifth of February.* 1.2

2. Concerning him thus writes the Au¦thour of his life in Capgrave,

[After that Saint Patrick had converted the Irish Nation to the Faith of Christ by many signs and wonders, he passed over the Sea thence into Brittany, and at Glastonbury he happily ended his days in a good old age. For this cause many de∣vout persons of Ireland have accustomed in devotion to visit the sayd Monastery. Now there was in Ireland the son of a certain King, his name was Indractus, a young man well imbued with learning, adorned with vertues, and favoured both by God and man. This young Prince aspiring only to heaven∣ly ioyes, for a more secure obtaining them resolved to despise, yea to fly from all the snares of Princely palaces and delicacies. Ta∣king therefore with him nine companions, together with his Sister named Dominica (our Martyrologe calls her Drusa) he in devo∣tion undertook a pilgrimage to Rome. Ha∣ving therefore a prosperous passage by Sea, he arrived at a Haven in Brittany, named Tamerunt: And there this devout assembly built an Oratory, and spent a long space of time in the service of God and mortification. At length leaving his Sister there, he with his other Companions pursued their pil∣grimage to Rome.

As for the frequent Miracles wrought by the Holy man, in Brittany or in his iourney, I omitt them: the curious Reader may have recourse for them to the Authour: who thus prosecutes his Story:

3. Returning after some time from Rome into Brittany,* 1.3 he had a resolution to goe to Glastonbury, and there at the Monument of Saint Patrick to pour forth his Prayers to God. Now at that time Inas King of the West-Saxons held his Court neer that place in a town called Pedret: in the villages round a∣bout which many of his Servants and atten∣dants were dispersed. Among whom there was a certain son of iniquity named Hona. This man curiously observing Indractus and his companions in their way from Glastonbury,

that their baggs and purses were well stuffed with money.

Whereupon the Minister of Satan with his complices following them, over∣took them at a Village named Shapwick, and violently breaking into the house while they were sleeping, there murdred them all. Which ha∣ving done, they took their Sacred Bodies, and cast them into a deep pitt, to the end no man might find them.

4. Now it fortuned that King Inas (whose abode was near that place) on a certain night being afflicted with great pain in his bowells, to ass••age the same, went abroad into the open aire, and looking towards heaven, he saw a pil∣lar as it were of fire, issuing out of the place in which the sacred bodies were hidden, the splen∣dour of which was always in his eyes which way soever he turned them. The same spectacle offred it self to him three nights consequently, where∣upon taking some of his Courtiers with him, he went to the place, and having found the bodies of the holy Martyrs, he took care that they should be buried at Glastonbury with great honour. The Body of S. Indractus was placed on the left side of the Altar, opposite to the Monument of S. Patrick, and his companions under the pave∣ment round about. As for the Murderers, they having the impudence to be present at the bu∣riall, were visibly seysed on by Devills, and so horribly tormented, that they tore their own flesh with ther teeth, and shortly after with ter∣rible roarings miserably ended their lives.

5. Thus writes the sayd Authour: a sum∣mary of which relation may be read in Wil∣liam of Malmsbury, collected out of the An∣tiquities of the Church or Glastonbury. The village where they were murdred still keeps the same name, Shapwick, and it is seated near unto Glastonbury.

Notes

• * 1.1

  IX. CHA.
• * 1.2

  Maryrolog. Angl. 5. Febr. Ap. Capgrav. in S. Indract.
• * 1.3

  Idem. ibid.